OROVILLE — For the second consecutive year Las Plumas High School took the win in the Butte County Academic Decathlon.
“The core of this year’s team has been together since sophomore year and they worked really hard, as seniors, to repeat their success,” said Christian Bruce, Las Plumas team coach. “They achieved their team goal to repeat as winners of the county competition this year and now they want to place higher than last year at the upcoming state competition. They have made Las Plumas High School and their coach, very proud.”
The Butte County Academic Decathlon, held annually for the past nearly 30 years, took place on Feb. 3 where 62 students representing five high schools squared off in the brainiac competition at the Butte County Office of Education.
This year’s decathlon theme was “Technology and Humanity” and students from Las Plumas High School, Biggs High School, Pleasant Valley High School, Paradise High School and Oroville High School competed in 10 events in subject categories including economics, mathematics, literature, social science, science, art, music, essay, interview and speech.
“Aca Deca has a way of proving to you that you’re capable of more than you know,” said Jett Doyle, LPHS team member. “I will always regard the decision to join our team as one of the best decisions in my high school career.”
Students studied the same curriculum all year and then competed against other students in the same grade point category: honor students (3.8 and above grade point average), scholastic students (3.00‐3.79 GPA) and varsity students (2.99 GPA and below).
Academic Decathletes, grades nine through 12, compete in teams of six to nine students plus alternates. The competition is open to students of all levels of academic achievement, to ensure that the program is inclusive of students of varying ability levels.
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Pleasant Valley High School placed second and Paradise High School earned third place in the competition.
“This year was the closest race I have seen in the competition in a long time,” said Mary Ellen Garrahy, Butte County Academic Decathlon coordinator. “Each of the teams worked closely together and each member shined in different areas. The coaching was phenomenal this year and it reflected in students giving quality interviews and speeches”
Overall top-scoring students in the decathlon included Pleasant Valley High School’s Andrew Ma and Hans Gao and Las Plumas High School students Jett Doyle and Taryn Sapp.
“The learning experiences and values I’ve been taught through academic decathlon, are values I will cherish for the rest of my life,” said Cayden Hughart, Las Plumas team member.
The Las Plumas team will represent Butte County in the California State Academic Decathlon competition in Santa Clara in March.
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